Scott's solve:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...threadid=26478

Original request:
My site ( www.theflow.com/forums ) allows for Unregistered users to post and start threads. However, when an unregistered user previews, their Username is dropped from the form fields. Can anyone supply a hack to fix this? Logically, to me, if Preview can hold the message contents itself, then Submit them, why can't the Preview action also hold the screen name?

i think it would be beneficial, to frusterate unregistered users by leaving it the way it is, to make them sign up so that didnt happen every time...but...i think there is more behind that idea than just a fluke, or something vb "forgot" to add....Im sure they had some reasons for that.

Well that's an interesting theory, but if the intent of vB developers were to slant the enitire proposition so resoundingly in the corner of "register" or take a hike -- then one would have to wonder why, in the Admin CP, under permissions for the usergroup "Unregistered", you would have such an array of options presented for Unregistered users, including, among other things, the options to enable:

* view members info (including other's profiles and members list)

* use 'email to friend' feature

* modify profile (which makes no sense, since an Unregistered user cannot have a profile)

* Rate

* post attachments

* edit own posts

* delete own posts

* move own threads to other forums

* delete own threads by deleting the first post

* use Private Messaging (how is this possible without being registered?)

* edit other's Public events on Calendar

* Is Super Moderator

* Can access control panel
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My point is two-fold:

(1) I haven't tried these various permissions but I doubt very seriously it is even possible for an Unregistered user to use private messaging, so it is unclear to me which functions are possible, and which functions are deemed "inappropriate"?

(2) I'll decide whether or not I want Unregistered users to be able to take advantage of features that are built into vB.

In the case of this thread topic, it is entirely possible for a Unreg user to preview a message, then make changes to said mesage, then submit & post said changes. My question again is: If it is possible to hold that message data from Preview action to Submit action, why is it not possible to hold a screen name across those two actions?

good points... all of them...I have wondered myself, why a person would choose to give a unregistered user in the admin panel so many options.

I personally do not like the unregistered user field myself, but that is me. There are a few boards who have been under "attack" because of the open and carefree anenimity of the unregistered user group, and I frankly wouldnt want that to ever be a issue with the board we use. Of course, it can happen even when they are registered, but at least you can sort of lock a gate with a ISP ban, or something along those lines to a actual member name other than "unregistered".

Either way, i am not beating the drums on what i think you should do with your board, I just stated that it seems odd that something like that would be overlooked unless there was a meaning to it.

I am also sure VB is not trying to frusterate the unregistered user into registering, because VB got what they wanted out of us anyways, which is to sign up or buy the software..lol..we are on our own from that point on..it was meant in a joking fashion and nothing more than that. :)

I hear ya ToraTora; and I know where you're coming from. For what it's worth, at some point in future, I may make registration madatory at my site when and if it gets out of hand -- as they always do. But right now I want the dynamic of no-barrier-to-entry on my board. I'm fine with all you said... My only wish is that someone who knows the answer to the question about how to create a hack to enable this information to be carried would speak up.

I'm not a programmer, but I understand ordinary logic. If Case A holds, why doesn't Case B hold as well?

It's not impossible, it's more like a hard thing to do.
I'm sorry, I don't have anything else to say.

You might wanna post this as a suggestion in the Suggestions and Feedback forum. It will get more attention by the developers - and I'm sure they can do something about this.